EBEHINDTHEGYM
ITwasadullautumndayandJillPbehindthegym。
Shewasgbecausetheyhadbeenbullyihisisnotgoingtobeaschoolstory，soIshallsayaslittleaspossibleaboutJill'sschool，whiotapleasawas“Co-edual，”aschoolforbothboysandgirls，whatusedtobecalleda“mixed”sesaiditwasnotnearlysomixedasthemindsofthepeoplewhoranit。Thesepeoplehadtheideathatboysandgirlsshouldbeallowedtodowhattheyliked。Anduehebiggestboysandgirlslikedbestwasbullyihers。Allsortsofthings，hs，wentonwhiordinaryschoolwouldhavebeenfoundoutandstoppedinhalfaterm;butatthisschooltheyweren't。OrevehepeoplewhodidthemwerenotexpelledorpuheHeadsaidtheywereiingpsychologicaldsealkedtothemforhours。AndifyouksortofthingstosaytotheHead，themaiwasthatyoubecameratherafavouritethanotherwise。
ThatwaswhyJillPonthatdullautumndayotlepathwhisbetweenthebaandtheshrubbery。Andshehadn'tnearlyfinishedheraboydthewhistling，withhishandsinhispockets。Henearlyranintoher。
“'tyoulookwherey?”saidJillPole。
“Allright，”saidtheboy，“youstart—”aicedherface。“Isay，Pole，”hesaid，“what'sup?”
Jillohesortyoumakewhenytosaysomethingbutfindthatifyouspeakyou'llstartgagain。
“It'sThem，Isuppose—asusual，”saidthebginghishaohispockets。
Jillherewasnoneedforhertosayanything，evenifshecouldhavesaidit。Theybothknew。
“Now，lookhere，”saidtheboy，“there'snogoodusall—”
&well，buthedidtalkratherlikesomeonebegiure。Jillsuddeoatemper（whichisquitealikelythingtohappenifyouhavebeeedinacry）。
“Oh，goawayandmindyourownbusiness，”shesaid。“Nobodyaskedyoutin，didthey?Andyou'reauswhatwealloughttodo，aren'tyou?IsupposeyoumeaospendallourtimesuguptoThem，andgfavour，anddandahemlikeyoudo。”
“Oh，Lor!”saidtheboy，sittingdownonthegrassybankattheedgeoftheshrubberyandveryquicklygettingupagaihegrasswassoaki。HisunatelywasEustaceScrubb，buthewasn'tabadsort。
“Pole!”hesaid。“Isthatfair?HaveIbeendoinganythihisterm?Didn'tIstanduptoCarterabouttherabbit?Anddidn'tIkeepthesecretaboutSpivviuretoo?Anddidn'tI—”
“Id-don'tknowandIdon'tcare，”sobbedJill。
Scrubbsawthatshewasn'tquiteherselfyetandverysensiblyofferedherapeppermint。
Hehadooo。PresentlyJillbegahingsi。
“I'msorry，Scrubb，”shesaidpresently。“Iwasn'tfair。Youhavedo—thisterm。”
“Thenwashoutlasttermifyou，”saidEustace。“Iwasadifferent。Iwas—gosh!whatalittletickI>
“Well，holy，youwere，”saidJill。
“Youthinktherehasbeehen?”saidEustace。
“It'snotonlyme，”saidJill。“Everyone'sbeensayingso。They've。EleanorBlakistonheardAdelaPealkingaboutitinroomyesterday。Shesaid，'Someone'sgotholdofthatScrubbkid。He'squiteuhisterm。Weshallhavetoattendtohim。'”
&acegaveashudder。EveryoHousekwaslikebeio”byThem。
Bothwerequietforamoment。Thedropsdrippedoffthelaurelleaves。
“Whywereyousodifferentlastterm?”saidJillpresently。
“Alotshappehehols，”saidEustacemysteriously。
“Whatsortofthings?”askedJill。
&a'tsayanythingforquitealohenhesaid:
“Lookhere，Pole，youahisplauybodyhateanything，don'twe?”
“IknowIdo，”saidJill。